APMA 2130

The "self-taught" instruction method was unbearable, and Ryals barely helped the class learn. I got lucky with my TA, but her inability to properly teach definitely held some of us back from understanding the material properly. Webwork took a ton of time and was incredibly frustrating to input answers into, and the written homeworks took a ton of time too.

Not a bad class, but LOTSSS of work assigned in this class. Since this course follows the active learning format, this course will often assign pre-class work, then a group worksheet due by the end of each class, then weekly online homework (once two homework assignments due in one week), and then written homework assignments due 1-2x a month. Your grade in the class worksheets may frankly depend on how smart you and/or your groupmates are as well as how good your group is at getting the TA's attention first for help. Professor Ryals is certainly a nice person and will help but it may take awhile because she sometimes likes to solve the problem first before looking at the answer key.

Arguably the worst possible class format I've had since coming to UVA. Reversed classroom for this class is good in theory, but practically over half the class was left in utter confusion everyday, and it took redoing the worksheets multiple times + a tutor + a godsend TA to halfway understand the material. If you like to be taught through vague questions on worksheets and spend 3x as much time learning as you would a normal lecture-style class, have at it. Otherwise, do yourself a favor and pick another section.